CT Skills launches new apprenticeship for specialist teaching assistants
CT Skills, one of the UK’s top training providers, has launched a brand new apprenticeship to support the growing role of teaching assistants in schools.
About the new apprenticeship
The Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship is now open to teaching assistants, learning support workers, and academic mentors who want to take the next step in their career. It’s designed to help them build skills in supporting pupils with:
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Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
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Social and emotional wellbeing
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Specialist areas such as forest schools, English as an additional language (EAL), subject-based intervention, or music education
The new Level 5 programme runs for 17 to 20 months and includes a mix of classroom theory and on-the-job training. Learners will build a portfolio of evidence and complete a final assessment.
The qualification can also lead to further study such as a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or a Bachelor of Education (BEd) with qualified teacher status.
Why it was created
The apprenticeship was created after schools and learners told CT Skills they needed more advanced training for teaching assistants, especially as their responsibilities have grown in recent years.
Alex Ford, CEO of CT Skills, said:
“Specialist teaching assistants work across all age ranges, supporting a range of learners. A recent Department of Education report has identified the rise in the need for, and the expanding role of, teaching assistants both to support the rise of pupils with SEND in mainstream settings as well and the emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs of pupils further to the COVID-19 pandemic more broadly.”
Michelle Phoenix, Head of Quality and Curriculum at CT Skills, added:
“We’ve been getting feedback for a while from our current employers and learners that enhanced training provision in this area was needed.
With this new apprenticeship, teaching assistants can develop their theoretical and practical skills to become more equipped to manage their expanding roles, as well as have the chance to specialise in either SEND, social and emotional wellbeing or other specialist curriculum provision. It’s great that this is now available.”
CT Skills’ role in education
CT Skills works closely with the Department for Education (DfE) and employers across sectors including education, childcare, business, and accounting to deliver high-quality apprenticeships and training.
The company is rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted and ‘Excellent’ by employers on the Government’s Find Apprenticeship Training website.
Training success and achievements
CT Skills currently supports:
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1,064 learners on free online courses
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466 apprentices across the UK
In 2023, the company achieved a Qualification Achievement Rate (QAR) of 61.5%, which is 7.2% above the national average of 54.3%.
